<quoted text>Lol - How do you think she can afford all that stuff! Don't knock it. It's called keeping the money you make. Most people who either suddenly come into money or start making more - start spending like they 'have it', instead of saving it or continuing to be 'frugal' with it. I work to hard to give it away too easy. Dang right I shop at Aldi's. Not all the time, not for everything - but why spend $1 on a box of Mac & cheese when I can get it for .25 (I think it's gone up). Or a loaf of bread for .79 instead of $1.89. I sale shop too - BUT the key is keep a 'pantry' or stock of things so you aren't forced into shopping weekly. I fill my freezer and that gives me more flexibility to shop sales when it's convenient. I'm not ususally under the gun to run to the store unless it's for Milk. My family teases me about having so much toilet paper or whatever but they're shocked if we DO run out of something. It takes a plan & Strategy to get to this point but it's less stressful and costly than going every week because you 'have to'.

Right. I'm eating my .25 cent can of on-sale Save A Lot soup as I read this. I'm also chomping at the bit for the farmer's markets to open. C'mon, summer!

For milk and eggs...there's a gas station store right around the corner from me. I don't like to shop every week. As a matter of fact, I've got enough soup stockpiled to last the rest of the winter and most of spring!

I just gave up a New Mexico vacation so I can pay off my credit cards. I hate to do it. I really do. BUt I don't have any business going out west with tax return money that can go to pay off credit cards. With the money I save from paying on those cards...we're shooting for next April.

Learn to cook, from scratch, because buying raw materials in bulk such as flower, sugar and dried beans is much less expensive and easier to store. Also, check out the videos on YouTube of the ninety three year old great-grandmother named Clara Cannucciari called Great Depression cooking.

I hope high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, and diabetes are of absolutely no concern to you because eating what you just described, on a regular basis, is really unhealthy! There is more than an entire's day worth of sodium in just 1 serving of your meatloaf/stovetop or chicken cassarole! Saving money isn't worth the cost of your health or the health of your children. These dishes once in a while (less than once a month) are probably OK, but not regularly, not one after the other, and not more than once a month!

Businessminded wrote:

<quoted text>Do you mean other than lasagna & meatloaf? I & my kids like my meatloaf mixed with Stove Top. So easy - just add the stove top, a few eggs, water, ketcup - wala!The family drools over my chicken casserole. Stove top layer - a few chicken breasts (boneless & skinless) Mozzarella cheese, another layer of stovetop and either Cream of Chicken or Cream of Mushroom. Cook at 350 for 30 minutes covered - uncover cook another 30 minutes. Yum -I know what I'm makin' tonight.

Does anyone have any good recipes w/ only a few ingredients? I make Lasagna & Meatloaf on a pretty constant basis, but i'm having trouble finding good recipes w/ a few ingredients.

For meatloaf most people buy breadcrumbs and all the seasonings just take2 lbs hamburger2 eggs3/4 cup of milk 1 box of stove top stuffingits fewer ingredients cause the stuffing has everything in it u need.bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hrs

I look for products grown here in Michigan - grocers, farmers markets, road side stands. Meat and poultry too. It's naturally safer and it's cheaper too because there's not the expense of storing and having it shipped here, or some huge corporate overhead. It tastes better and is fresher too. I can and freeze for the winter months. Still haven't used all my homegrown from last year. Sharing with others helps. I tend to not grow squash, etc because there's plenty of people who grow too much who are more than glad to exchange for other stuff. I still look for Michigan products during the winter/spring used in juices, dried produce, beans, etc.

<quoted text>Right. I'm eating my .25 cent can of on-sale Save A Lot soup as I read this. I'm also chomping at the bit for the farmer's markets to open. C'mon, summer!For milk and eggs...there's a gas station store right around the corner from me. I don't like to shop every week. As a matter of fact, I've got enough soup stockpiled to last the rest of the winter and most of spring!I just gave up a New Mexico vacation so I can pay off my credit cards. I hate to do it. I really do. BUt I don't have any business going out west with tax return money that can go to pay off credit cards. With the money I save from paying on those cards...we're shooting for next April.Damned frugality. It hurts sometimes!

You'll really laugh at this one. I had a PB & J TOASTED for lunch. ; )

Nobody ever said those dang choices were easy. Easy to do...easy not to do is what I like to say!

..., and Buisnessminded thank you for the great recipes. I am going grocery shopping soon & will have to write these down! Thanks again Luv em'!

You are most welcome. Those are my favorite fast & easy ones. I tried something different with the meatloaf this time because I was rushed for cooking time. Family of 6 I did a double batch and put in an oversized glass pyrex (bigger than brownie pan). It made it a flatter serving but cooked faster! Everybody loved it just the same.!

Another simple one my family likes is baked pork chops. 350 for 45 minutes and put "Western" Salad dressing on the last 5-10 minutes (instead of BBQ sauce). It's a sweeter tangy taste. To save time you can also put Stuffing under the meat and cook it all at once.(We don't eat as much stuffing as it sounds ...but they are the easier recipes I use for sure!)

Another side my kids like is Pasta Roni. Cooks in like 5 minutes and for $1 a box at Walmart you can't beat it!

**Another tip - Cook your hamburg all at once and bag seperately for the month. Saves time browning meat which often translates into making a quicker meal rather than reaching for the phone for pizza! lol!

** I also like the whole chickens from Aldi's or Sams for around $5. Throw them on the stand up roaster for the oven and then throw baked taters around it after the first 90 minutes. This feeds my family 1 1/2 -2 meals. One for the first round and then we put the leftovers in A dr'd up Chicken Noodle soup and it's SO yummy!

I hope high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, and diabetes are of absolutely no concern to you because eating what you just described, on a regular basis, is really unhealthy! There is more than an entire's day worth of sodium in just 1 serving of your meatloaf/stovetop or chicken cassarole! Saving money isn't worth the cost of your health or the health of your children. These dishes once in a while (less than once a month) are probably OK, but not regularly, not one after the other, and not more than once a month!<quoted text>

You are right and thanks for bringing that one up. I made the meatloaf 2 nights ago and that was a first all winter. My son is begging for the casserole because it's been so long. Like I said, I picked those because those were the favorite 'fast' & easy meals I do. I have a really yummy chicken rub but not sure where the recipe is. Just plain boneless skinless chicken.

On the other hand, if it helps my kids put on some weight .....darn skinny kids! lol....(JK! I take their health seriously and I'd say they're above average with their love of Broccoli)

<quoted text>For meatloaf most people buy breadcrumbs and all the seasonings just take2 lbs hamburger2 eggs3/4 cup of milk1 box of stove top stuffingits fewer ingredients cause the stuffing has everything in it u need.bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hrs

Mine - I don't use the milk-just water and I only use 1 Cup of Stovetop for one 'loaf' size pan.

Have a big garden, grow all of your vegetables, can and freeze summer's excess to get you through the winter. Have a small orchard. Few things are as tasty in the winter as home-grown, home-canned peaches, pears, cherries, plums.

Find a place that supplies restaurants and will sell to folks at home. Go to CLNF.ORG to find good deals on good stuff, just in bulk.

Raise your own chickens, beef, pork, veal, whatever, if you have the acreage. If things are really tight, butcher your own. Otherwise, it doesn' cost much to have someone butcher it for you.

Get acquainted with a dairy farmer, make your own cheedse.

If you're unemployed this will present no time problem. Have a good time.

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